English Reference
Adjective

distinguishable

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US /dɪˈstɪŋɡwɪʃəbəɫ/ UK /dɪstˈɪŋɡwɪʃəbəl/ dis·tin·guish·able

adj.easy to tell apart from something else. You use this when you can see or hear the difference between two things.

adj.capable of being perceived as different or identified as distinct from another. Often used to describe sensory qualities like sound, appearance, or smell.


SIMPLE

The two birds are easily distinguishable by their bright red feathers.

CONTEXTUAL

Even though the two languages are very similar, a native speaker can usually distinguishable them by the way people pronounce certain words.

COMPLEX

The artist's signature style is immediately distinguishable from that of her contemporaries, characterized by a unique use of light and shadow that creates a sense of depth.

Scout Boxall : I like my men like I like my passwords – weak, easily compromised, barely distinguishable from each other.

The Guardian· 20 Aug 2026

From distinguish + -able.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Occasional
Updated